


X is for Xebec

by KateKintail



Series: The ABC Series 2006 [24]
Category: Hornblower (TV)
Genre: Common Cold, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-03
Updated: 2013-02-03
Packaged: 2017-11-28 01:55:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/668933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KateKintail/pseuds/KateKintail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Horatio pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger, fighting the urge to lapse into a fit of sneezes which would surely prevent him from keeping watch properly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	X is for Xebec

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a collection of short H/C ficlets (they were supposed to be drabbles but I'm terrible at writing short things) from various fandoms. I asked on one of my LiveJournals for one word for each letter of the alphabet, as well as a fandom and/or pairing.

Horatio pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger, fighting the urge to lapse into a fit of sneezes which would surely prevent him from keeping watch properly. He heard sound and sensed motion behind him, and looked over his shoulder to see Archie climbing up into the crow's nest, a canteen hanging from his mouth by the strap.   
  
"My cold inhibits me a bit, but I promise my eyesight is fine," Horatio said, staring Archie down as he guessed the purpose for the man's presence there.   
  
Archie avoided a direct answer. "Brought you something," Archie said, once his mouth was clear.   
  
Horatio was just about to explain he that he had water of his own, but then he noticed the way Archie took a swig out of the canteen and knew it was rum. "The King, God Bless Him," Horatio said with a bit of relief as he took the canteen and gulped down a good bit of it. "Thank you, Archie."   
  
Archie nodded back and put a hand on Horatio's shoulder. "It won't help cure your ills completely, but it should make you feel better until you are off duty tonight and can get some rest. How goes the watch?"  
  
Horatio rubbed the side of his hand beneath his nose. "Better than my cold, that is for sure. I have not seen..."   
  
Archie, who had been staring off into the distance in one direction, now turned his sights on Horatio. The man's eyes were shut tightly and his breath was hitching silently but visibly. "hitChew! Sniff!" It just about doubled him over, but there were more on the way. "hit-Chooo! Sniff! hih-Choo! Sniff!"   
  
"God bless you," Archie said, as soon as he was certain no more were to come. Sometimes it was difficult to tell with Horatio, but this last one looked like the last, with Horatio straightening back up and rubbing more at his nose.   
  
"Thank you." Horatio took another gulp. "As I was saying, the waters have been... quiet..."   
  
Archie prepared himself to hear another volley of sneezes, but they did not come. Instead, he felt a hand on his back and a fist grabbed his uniform hastily.   
  
"Archie? Have you any notion as to what exactly *that* is?" He pointed out in one direction. It was dusk, but not yet dark, and something could be seen approaching quickly. It looked like a frigate, and yet not quite like a frigate. It had a strange-looking hull and a more pronounced overhanging bow and stern than most small ships had. Smaller most likely meant fewer canons.   
  
Archie reached over and slipped the spyglass off of Horatio's belt, using it to peer out towards the south. It was fuzzy for a moment until he turned the neck, and then he saw a ship come into focus. It was a small vessel with three masts. "She presents with no colors," he said, handing the spyglass over to Horatio, who used it to look as well.   
  
Then Horatio turned away and coughed into the back of his hand.   
  
"I will inform the captain immediately," Archie offered. He glanced towards the alert bell, thinking of the standard protocol which called for him to ring it.   
  
"From its speed, it appears to be a xebec, a corsair ship," Horatio said.   
  
"Pirates? In these waters?" Archie said, taking the spyglass back and taking another look, even though the ship was much closer now.   
  
"Privateers," Horatio corrected. "Less ruthless in open waters but certainly not a friend." He turned to Archie, who could see in his eyes that his mind was instinctively going through all the possibilities as though they were his decisions to make. He could also see Horatio teetering on the edge of another sneeze. "hih-h'Choo! Sniff! Sniff!" And he was glad that tonight the decision-making did not rest on Horatio's shoulders.   
  
"Stay here," Archie said, slapping his back. As Archie began to climb down, Horatio rang the bell. And after clearing his throat, he called out that there was a ship off the starboard bow.   
  
He leaned on the rail of the crow's nest, coughing, as he heard the orders that made the ship ready for action. And he continued to call out as the ship's proximity changed. It really was one of the fastest he'd ever seen. It's maneuverability was exceptional as well, and it seemed to ride the water high, as though it could do just as well in shallow water as in deep.   
  
The English were good at hand-to-hand combat, but Horatio advised against it. From his view from the top, he could see the ship practically swarming with bodies. It was a ship full of people whose sole purpose was to fight and take what they could. And Horatio could not allow a raid on the Indy. He quickly did the maths. "Outnumbered ten-to-one!" he shouted down with what little voice he had left, and Mathews saw that the word got to the captain.   
  
Then Horatio held on tightly as the ship came about swiftly, presenting its most dangerous side to the other ship. He swayed, unsteady on his feet. He wished he were down below decks at his post with the canons, but he knew he did not have the voice for it tonight so there was no better place for him. He simply preyed the other ship, out gunned, did not have luck on its side and would not strike the mast as there was not time enough to climb down anyway.   
  
The firefight was short and sweet as the disabled xebec used oars and caught the wind as well to make its hasty escape.   
  
"Well, how was that for a spot of excitement?" Archie inquired, climbing back up into the crow's nest. "The Captain did not wish to pursue it further. But we lost no hands and they learned better than to mess with the Indefatigable!" Archie sounded winded and looked battle-weary, with disheveled hair and a tear in his uniform. His smile met Horatio's. "How are you?" he asked.   
  
Horatio chuckled. Everyone else had done the hard work this time, though he had had a part in it as well. He did not like to think about what might have happened if he had not seen the ship when he did. "Sniff! I... hit-Choo! hihChew! Sniff! I could use more rum," he said hopefully.  
  
"God bless you." Shaking his head, "You will have to settle for my company, I'm afraid." He pulled a handkerchief out of his sleeve and, instead of wiping smudges from his cheek or sweat from his brow, he handed it to Horatio.   
  
Horatio dabbed at his nose. "Even better." He slipped an arm around Archie's waist and leaned into him for the warmth and support. His eyes wanted to close, and even though he could keep them open until the next bell, he was glad to have Archie's eyes helping him on the watch.


End file.
